Jay Hellwege’s (December 17,1946 – March 27, 2025) personality often entered a room first through his booming voice, boisterous laugh and gregarious manor. His interests found a place in nearly every conversation. He loved art, travel, food, history, old movies, all things French and France, music, drama, literature and so much more. He knew lots of trivia and was often Google before Google existed.

Creativity was central to his life. He has 21 artworks in three Museums: the New Mexico Museum of Art (Santa Fe), National Veterans Art Museum (Chicago), and the Midwest Museum of American Art (Elkhart, IN). Additionally, he had a one-man show of his work at Kodner Gallery in St Louis November of 2009. He was quoted in the Washington Post saying “Art is God’s apology for the horrors of life.” He created photo collages, drawings, paintings and sculptures which often were constructed on typewriters. Over the past few years, Jay and his close friend of 60 years, Gary Corbin, had been writing plays and screen plays about aliens, gangsters, buzzards and twist-turning plots. Jay had lots of plans for many more plays.

Jay was the son of William Henry and Catherine Loucille Hellwege. He grew up in Maplewood describing his youth as an Edward Hopper painting. He played the French horn in the high school band. In his Boy Scout years he achieved the Eagle Scout rank, scouting’s highest
award. After high school, he began college and then became a soldier in the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division spending a year in Vietnam. Unfortunately, he carried those experiences for life. After a return to college, he became a high school art teacher in St Louis Public Schools where he taught for 27 years.

In 1986, he met Pamela Smith and their love story began. After marriage in 1988 and a honeymoon in Greece, their life in University City together was full of art and friends and a few animals.

Jay’s life was filled with people and stories. He often stopped African-American strangers to tell them the story of his grandfather who came from Germany and fought for the North during the Civil War. Jay was proud that grandfather fought for the good guys. His story almost always
opened conversation, and Jay became less the big white guy and more the Johnny Appleseed of anti-racism. He was passionate about anti-racism, fairness for all people and politics.

Jay meditated daily for over 60 years and he recently added daily prayer. He read The NewYorker every week since his late teens. He wanted to help others including his “art son” Steve McPherson, and his second-hand granddaughter, Makiah Richards. He told everyone he was married to “the best wife in the whole world”, and he told his wife he loved her two to many times each day. He was a good man and he will be missed by both family and friends.

Jay is survived by his wife and his brother, Charles; nephews Jim (Mary), Dick (Jan), Steve (Lynn) Hellwege and niece Faith Rockenstein; Great-nieces Emily Hellwege, Elley Hellwege, Meg Hellwege and Anne Hellwege; Great-nephews David Rockenstein, Sam Hellwege, and Andrew Hellwege. Jay was preceded in death by his parents, half-brother William,Jr, half-sister Constance Rockenstein, and nephew John Rockenstein, Jr. He also leaves behind his relatives by marriage, Ann Smith, Patrick Smith, Jr and their families.

Jay will be remembered Saturday, April 5 at the Gathering in Clayton (101 N Bemiston Ave). Visitation is 9 am and the service begins at 10 am. There will be a luncheon afterwards to tell stories and further remembrances. Contributions may be made to Walter’s Walk in St Louis, the
ACLU, The Midwest Museum of American Art in Elkhart, Indiana or The Saint Louis Art Museum.